European Parliament resolution of 12 May 2016 on the follow-up to and review of the 2030 Agenda (2016/2696(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the document entitled ‘Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, adopted at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015, in New York,

– having regard to the Third International Conference on Financing for Development held in Addis Ababa on 13-16 July 2015,

– having regard to the report by the Inter-Agency Expert Group on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators (IAEG-SDG), published on 17 December 2015 and adopted at the 47th session of the UN Statistical Commission in March 2016,

– having regard to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) High-Level Segment to be held on 18-22 July 2016 under the theme ‘Implementing the post-2015 development agenda: moving from commitments to results’,

– having regard to its resolution of 19 May 2015 on Financing for Development(1),

– having regard to its resolution of 25 November 2014 on the EU and the global development framework after 2015(2),

– having regard to the Paris Agreement adopted at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris on 12 December 2015,

– having regard to Article 7 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which reaffirms that the EU ‘shall ensure consistency between its policies and activities, taking all of its objectives into account’,

– having regard to the ongoing development of the EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy, which will guide the European Union’s global actions,

– having regard to its resolution of 24 November 2015 on the role of the EU within the UN – how to better achieve EU foreign policy goals(3),

– having regard to the Council conclusions of 26 October 2015 on Policy coherence for development,

– having regard to the revision of the Europe 2020 Strategy – ‘The New Approach beyond 2020’,

– having regard to the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness, the Accra Agenda for Action and the declaration and action plan adopted at the High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held in Busan in December 2011,

– having regard to the European Consensus for Development and its upcoming revision,

– having regard to Article 208 of the TFEU, which requires the principle of policy coherence for development to be taken into account in all EU external policies,

– having regard to the outcomes of the World Humanitarian Summit to be held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 23-24 May 2016,

– having regard to the letter of 29 March 2016 from its Committee on Development to the Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development on the issue of the follow-up to and review of the Sustainable Development Goals,

– having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas UN General Assembly Resolution 70/1 calls for the goals and targets to be followed up and reviewed using a set of global indicators; whereas the UN Secretary-General has been mandated to produce an annual Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) progress report in order to provide support for the follow-up and review at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF); whereas the SDG progress report is to be based on data produced by national statistical systems and information collected at different levels;

B. whereas, at its 46th session (3-6 March 2015), the Statistical Commission endorsed the roadmap for the development and implementation of a global indicator framework;

C. whereas the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on SDG Indicators (IAEG-SDG), tasked with fully developing a proposal for the indicator framework for the monitoring of the goals and targets of the post-2015 Development Agenda, proposed indicators for the review of the 2030 Agenda, which were agreed at the 47th session of the UN Statistical Commission in March 2016;

D. whereas the proposed set of 230 Sustainable Development Goal indicators represents a good starting point and robust framework for the follow-up to and review of progress towards achieving the 17 SDGs;

E. whereas several of the indicators are not yet finalised, while at the same time the signatory member states will have to develop their national indicators in line with global indicators, tailored to their national circumstances;

F. whereas the global indicator framework should be agreed to by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in July 2016 and by the General Assembly in September 2016;

G. whereas the Foreign Affairs Council in its development component will meet on 12 May 2016 and should prepare the EU position for the HLPF meeting in July 2016 and determine in what context a thematic discussion on trade and development, focusing on the EU’s contribution to the private sector in implementing the 2030 Agenda, will take place;

H. whereas system-wide strategic planning, implementation and reporting are necessary in order to ensure coherent and integrated support for the implementation of the new Agenda by the UN development system;

I. whereas the new universal framework for sustainable development calls for more coherence between different policy areas and EU actors, requiring further coordination, dialogue and joint work at all levels within and between EU institutions to ensure the integration of the three pillars of sustainable development (environmental, economic, and social) in EU internal and external policies;

J. whereas the HLPF meeting in July 2016 will include voluntary reviews of 22 countries including four European countries – Estonia, Finland, France and Germany – and thematic reviews of progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, including cross-cutting issues, supported by reviews by the ECOSOC functional commissions and other intergovernmental bodies and forums;

1. Calls on the Foreign Affairs Council in its development component to adopt, ahead of the HLPF’s July 2016 meeting, a coherent and common EU position, taking into account Parliament’s position, as expressed in this resolution; believes that it is crucial to the EU’s credibility and leadership position to present a common position; is concerned that the Commission has not published a communication on the follow-up to and review of the Agenda 2030 ahead of the HLPF meeting, as requested by the members of the Committee on Development, that would serve as a basis for the common EU position;

2. Welcomes the report of the Inter-Agency and Expert Group on the SDG indicators; believes that it represents a remarkable achievement and a good basis for negotiations since the proposed indicators draw attention to a far more diverse set of structural concerns;

3. Welcomes the separate chapter on data disaggregation and the importance given to strengthening national statistical capacities;

4. Recognises the critical role of the HLPF in the review of the implementation of the SDGs; stresses that this body must ensure a coordinated and efficient assessment of needs and the adoption of the roadmaps needed for the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda;

5. Stresses that the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs represent a renewed international commitment to eradicating poverty, to redefining and modernising our development strategies for the next 15 years and to making sure that we deliver;

6. Calls on the Commission to come forward with a proposal for an overarching Sustainable Development Strategy encompassing all relevant internal and external policy areas, with a detailed timeline up to 2030, a mid-term review and a specific procedure ensuring Parliament’s full involvement, including a concrete implementation plan coordinating the achievement of the 17 goals, 169 targets and 230 global indicators and ensuring consistency with, and delivery of, the Paris Agreement goals; stresses the importance of the universality of the goals, and the fact that the EU and its Member States have made a commitment to implementing all the goals and targets fully, in practice and in spirit;

7. Insists that the new EU Sustainable Development Strategy and associated implementation policies should be subject to a broad consultation with all stakeholders, including national parliaments, local authorities and civil society, through an inclusive process;

8. Calls for a Commission communication on the follow-up to and review of the 2030 Agenda, with clear information on the implementation structure of the Agenda at EU and Member State level; underlines the fact that all relevant Commission Directorates-General and the European External Action Service (EEAS) should be fully engaged in the integration of the 2030 Agenda in the forthcoming review of the Europe 2020 strategy and the forthcoming EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy, ensuring strong policy coherence for sustainable development;

9. Emphasises that the review of the European Consensus for Development must fully reflect the new 2030 Agenda, which includes a paradigm shift and a fully fledged transformation of EU development policy; recalls that appropriate and targeted aid programming within development cooperation, with due respect for the principles of aid effectiveness, is essential for the achievement of the goals and associated targets;

10. Stresses that the EU must take full advantage of the upcoming mid-term review of the multiannual financial framework (MFF) in order to ensure that funding mechanisms and budgetary lines reflect all 2030 Agenda commitments agreed to by the EU; calls for the EU and its Member States to recommit without delay to the 0,7 % of GNI target for ODA and to submit a timeline on how to gradually increase ODA in order to reach the 0,7 %;

11. Calls for regular dialogue between the HLPF and the Commission on the progress made, with regular reporting to Parliament, in accordance with the principles of transparency and mutual accountability; insists on the need for an enhanced dialogue between the Commission and Parliament on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, in particular when it comes to development policy and policy coherence for development;

12. Invites the Commission and the EEAS, in close consultation with other partners, to present concrete proposals on how to more effectively integrate policy coherence for development into the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and calls for this new approach to be mainstreamed across all EU institutions in order to ensure effective cooperation and overcome the ‘silo’ approach;

13. Stresses the importance of incorporating the concept of policy coherence for development; invites the Commission and the EEAS, in close consultation with other partners, to present concrete proposals on how to more effectively integrate PCD into the EU approach to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and calls for this new approach to be mainstreamed across the EU institutions;

14. Urges the Commission to develop effective monitoring, review and accountability mechanisms for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and to report back to Parliament on a regular basis; recalls, in this connection, the need to increase democratic scrutiny by Parliament, possibly through a binding interinstitutional agreement, under Article 295 of the TFEU;

15. Invites the Commission and the UN specialised agencies, funds and programmes to establish a high-level dialogue on the implementation of the SDGs, with a view to coordinating the policies, programmes and operations of the EU, the UN and other donors; underlines the importance of disaggregated and accessible data for monitoring progress and evaluating results;

16. Calls on UN agencies and bodies to strengthen policy coherence for development within the UN working structures, in order to effectively integrate all dimensions of sustainable development;

17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the European Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.